How to overcome the biggest obstacle to sustainability: Packaging

"Packaging is this unique opportunity to meet consumers where they are and to have an impact on climate.”

—Deanna Bratter, DanoneNorth America

Part 1: Addressing the Achilles heel

Highlights from introduction by Lara Dickinson, OSC2:

Packaging is a huge part of looking toward the future of sustainability.
The session explores packaging-related emission issues and case studies of brands that are taking action toward redesigning their packaging to be more sustainable.

Highlights from Prashant Jagtap, Trayak:

Prashant Jagtap, Trayak, discusses what mainstreaming sustainability looks like and how companies can design and manufacture their entire product portfolio using sustainable strategies.
How to balance damage rate and excess packaging. Optimizing package design and sourcing materials sustainability by increasing post-consumer recyclable (PCR) content, using bio-based materials and phasing out harmful materials.
Using life-cycle analysis (LCA) to determine your company’s carbon footprint, incorporate feedback in early in the design process, and calculate company wide impact for global reporting initiative, investors and stakeholders.
The top eight indicators that Trayak measures to give companies a complete look at environmental impact of packaging.
Example case study that details the process and the challenges that a company could face when trying to reach its sustainability goals.

Highlights from Deanna Bratter, Danone North America:

“Packaging is this unique opportunity to meet consumers where they are and to have an impact on climate.”
How Danone North Americais looking at a broad value chain approach and bringing packaging to life.
Five main strategies to building a sustainable, circular economy of packaging
Breakthrough innovation: Plant powered bottles made of 80 percent plant material that is also recyclable.
Consumer education around recycling and connecting with consumers about sustainability.

Highlights from Jane Franch, Numi Organic Tea:

Numi’s story of sustainability.
Sustainable packaging milestones of Numi Organic Tea throughout the last 20 years.
Why starting today and taking incremental steps towards redesigning your packaging is essential.
Free online tools and resources for measuring environmental impact.
Numi’s priorities: Plant based, non-GMO, compostable.
Innovations in compostable tea bag wrappers.

Highlights:

The best path for companies that are first starting out is to collect the data to determine your current carbon footprint.
Don’t let perfection stop you from doing good.
How to curb costs while making changes in your current manufacturing and co-packer facilities.
The potential for flexible packaging moving forward.
Safeguards in data tools addressing petroleum-based materials having LCA advantages over bio-based materials.

Highlights:

The importance of labeling that educates consumers and makes it clear that the packaging is helping to fight climate change.
How far along are consumers with sustainable packaging?
Businesses are responsible and hold the power to drive change with consumers, manufacturers and infrastructure.
How do we help companies just starting out in developing their sustainability programs?
Suggestions around assessment of packaging materials for toxicity and chemical leeching into products.

This session—It's A Wrap: Reducing the Climate Impact of Your Packaging—was recorded at Natural Products Expo West 2018.